Curried crab

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Backfin lump crab meat
1 tablespoon Butter or oil
1 large Onion(s), finely chopped
(abt 1 1/2 cups)
2 Garlic clove(s), minced
2 teaspoons Ginger, minced
2 teaspoons (to 3 tsp) curry powder
½ teaspoon Thyme, fresh or dried
1½ cup Coconut milk
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons Cilantro
Or flat-leaf parsley
Finely chopped

Directions

Pick through the crab meat, removing any pieces if cartilage or shell.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook over medium-low heat until soft but not brown, 5-7 min. Add the curry powder and thyme and saute for 1 min. Stir in the coconut milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 min, or until well flavored and slightly thickened.

Stir in the crab meat and gently simmer for 5 min, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the dumplings and cook until thoroughly heated (I didn't include the recipe). Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro and serve.

Notes: This is one of the national dishes of Trinidad and Tobago. It's traditionally made with land crabs which are almost impossible to buy in the U.S. If you're using whole crabs, you'll need 4 large blue crabs or 2 Dungeness crabs.

If using blue crabs, boil them for 1 min. Remove the carapace, gills, and entrails and cut the crab bodies in half, leaving the legs attached.

If using Dungeness crabs, which are usually sold cooked, remove the carapace, gills and entrails, and cut the crab bodies in quarters, again with the legs intact.

Curried crab is usually served with dumplings.

The Caribbean Pantry Cookbook

by Steven Raichlen

ISBN 1-885183-10-0

pg 22

Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 12-13-95

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